Five additional deaths have been recorded in the renewed ethnic conflict between the Akyode and Challa communities in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region.
This brings the total number of confirmed deaths to seven since the clashes began on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, according to reports by Emmanuel Modey.
Meanwhile, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) reports that Nkwanta township has been plunged into a state of desolation, with social and economic activities grinding to a halt in the wake of the violence.
Among the casualties is a final-year student of Nkwanta Senior High School. Several others have been injured, including two female day students who sustained gunshot wounds.
All public and private schools in the municipality have been shut down as a precautionary measure to safeguard the lives of students and staff. Nkwanta Senior High School was particularly affected, with authorities arranging police escorts to ensure the safe return of students to their homes.
The unrest has also caused many non-indigenous teachers to flee the area. Shops have been closed, and the town’s usual vibrant atmosphere has been replaced by an unsettling silence.
In response, the Chief of Kpassa, Ubor Konja Tasan, has appealed to the Kokomba community to exercise restraint and actively support efforts to end the conflict.
“We have to prove that it is possible for people of all ethnic groups to live together in harmony and work toward their common aspirations,” he said.
The Oti Regional Minister, John Kwadwo Gyapong, paid a working visit to commiserate with victims and affected families.
He noted that the continuing violence—with no clear sign of peace in sight—requires decisive action from the people to end the hostilities.
“It is time for the youth and elders to support the peace process in order to bring lasting peace to the area,” he urged.
Mr. Gyapong expressed concern that the prolonged conflict is threatening the peace, safety, and development of the region. He called on the feuding factions to choose dialogue over violence and to prioritize peaceful resolutions over weapons that lead to the loss of lives and the destruction of property.
